The effect of natural zeolite as feed additive on performance and egg quality in old laying hens

Authors : Abdulkarim AMAD

Pages : 13-18

Doi:10.34233/jpr.919356

View : 19 | Download : 6

Publication Date : 2020-06-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This experiment was aimed to use natural zeolite as a feed additive to diet in old laying hens. 36 laying hens of ISA White strain were used, at age of 72 week. The hens were divided into three treatments and each treatment consisted of six replicates with tow hens each. A standard basic ration was used consisting of maize and soybean meal, and the zeolite was added according to the design of the experiment as follows, without zeolite insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(control T1);, +0.5% zeolite insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(T2); and +1% zeolite insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(T3);. The experiment lasted for 6 weeks. The collected data of performance and egg quality parameters were evaluated of 3 week basis period insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1st period 72 -75 week, 2nd period 75 -78 week); and the entire period insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(72 -78 week);. Results indicated that there was no significant effect of adding natural zeolite on the studied performance parameters feed intake insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(g/hen/d); and feed conversion ratio insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(g/g); or on the egg production insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(%);, egg weight insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(g/hen); and egg mass insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(g/hen/d);. However, it must be noted that the hens fed with zeolite at level of +0.5 and +1% showed a higher insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p ˃ 0.05); egg productivity comparing to hens without zeolite. Regarding the egg quality parameters, no significant effect were observed between the treatments. However, there were only significantly improvement in egg shell ratio insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(%); and egg shell density insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(mg/cm2); when the data of 72 - 78 week were pooled and analyzed. In this study, the zeolite supplementation showed no effects on blood plasma composition. In conclusion, the adding of natural zeolite at inclusion rate of 1% had positive effect on egg production and improved the shell egg quality of old laying hens.
Keywords : Zeolite, egg performance, shell egg quality